Raising the terror alert sent a chill through the American public this holiday season. But it's important to realize that terrorists are anxious to strike America precisely because their image among Muslims is deteriorating.
This is happening as dozens of Muslims have been killed in terror bombings in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and elsewhere, turning the Islamic world against Al Qaeda (search).
A high-ranking Al Qaeda member admits as much in Al Qaeda's on-line magazine called the "Voice of Jihad." Published in Arabic, the magazine is translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute. "…it can be claimed that the [Saudi government] has had some media success in portraying [bombings in Saudi Arabia] as the killing of Muslims, and in inciting some against the Mujahideen. But this effect is temporary and will disappear if, for example, the Mujahideen strike another blow in America. Then sympathy will return to what it was in the past, and may even increase."
It may be small comfort to know that we are at greater risk as Al Qaeda becomes less popular and more desperate. But it does provide more evidence that we've got the terrorists on the run.
And that’s the Asman Observer!
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